Art and democracy: The impact and the role of the right to freedom of artistic expression in various political regimes

The access to technology, the effects of instant information and the emergence of an increasingly empowered global citizen have contributed to the fundamental shift of the global political and economic landscape over the last twenty years. In consequence, the soft-power resources are becoming more and more important components of nation's foreign policy. Foreign policy instruments of public diplomacy and cultural diplomacy can effectively utilize such soft-power resources in order to assert foreign policy goals by purposefully supporting wide range of cultural and artistic activities. It is the aim of the thesis to examine both the direct and indirect impacts of artistic production on societies with various degrees of democratic culture and in connection to elaborate on the relevance of the right to freedom of artistic expression and creativity. The essential aim of this thesis is to look at the role that art production plays in the development of a democratic society.